Sunray Major shines on day of magnificent memories for Dettori

Classy colt could return to Ascot on Champions Day.

It may be 25 years since he sprang to prominence with his ‘Magnificent Seven’, but Frankie Dettori is still planning for the future as Sunray Major continued to make up for lost time at Ascot.

A half-brother to Kingman, John and Thady Gosden’s runner was off the track for over 450 days before he returned to action with a smooth success at Chelmsford recently.

Saddled with top-weight in a class three handicap here he looked a cut above his rivals in the paddock – and so it proved on the track, with Dettori hitting the front a long way from home.

While he got slightly tired in the closing stages, the 11-10 favourite still won by two lengths from Ibiza Rocks and at this stage Sunray Major could still live up to his family honour.

Twenty five years on from his Magnificent Seven, Frankie treated the crowd to another flying dismount
Twenty five years on from his Magnificent Seven, Frankie treated the crowd to another flying dismount (Steven Paston/PA)

“We always thought a bit of bit of him, but he had an injury which kept him off for a year and a half. John was very patient,” said Dettori.

“That was a good run. He’s lost a lot of time in his career so we are playing catch up at the moment, but I think John had the Balmoral on Champions Day in mind.

“He’s quite a heavy horse so he just got a little tired at the end, but it’s understandable given he missed a year and a half.”

Thady Gosden said: “He possibly hit the front a bit soon and ran around a bit.

“He’s obviously very talented and while he’s in the Balmoral we could look at going up in grade, it’s something for us all to discuss.”

When a horse displays an affinity for a course it may as well be Ascot and Charlie Hills’ Dark Shift (9-2) is sure to have plenty of options to come back next year.

Dark Shift gets up late under Danny Tudhope to win at Ascot for a third time
Dark Shift gets up late under Danny Tudhope to win at Ascot for a third time (Steve Paston/PA)

The three-year-old registered his third win at the track from just four runs and showed he stayed a mile on his first run over the trip when prevailing in a blanket finish to the Racing To School Classified Stakes under Danny Tudhope.

“He’s doing really well and he loves it here, he’s won three now,” said Hills.

“We were on a bit of a learning mission today over a mile, but he seems to have got it well so that opens up options for next year.

“He loves a bit of cut, but I don’t think he’ll get into the Balmoral so we’ll look at the Royal meeting and all those types of races.”

Bickerstaffe (right) justifies favouritism under Cieren Fallon
Bickerstaffe (right) justifies favouritism under Cieren Fallon (Steven Paston/PA)

Another who is showing an affinity for Ascot is Karl Burke’s Bickerstaffe (100-30 favourite) who followed up a win at the track in July from a 5lb higher mark in the Design Work Studios Handicap.

Cieren Fallon was on board and said: “He ran a big race in the Silver Cup and while he was slow away I got into a nice pocket and he was travelling sweetly in behind.

“I just had to wait for the gap to open, but it came when I wanted it and then I wanted to get on the rail which cane help you in ground like this. I was happy when the rain came last night.”

Punters who took the 1-5 about Bartzella last time out at Thirsk got their fingers burned – but she rewarded those who kept the faith at 3-1 in the Troy Asset Management Novice Stakes.

The William Haggas-trained filly, who had also won on her debut at Goodwood, was bounced out into an early lead by Tom Marquand and never saw another rival, winning by a heavily-eased three and a half lengths.

Haggas’ wife, Maureen, said: “Thirsk is a funny old place, it’s a sharp old track and she slipped on the first bend and didn’t recover from that.

“She was inexperienced and probably wondered what the hell was going on. Maybe she prefers going this way (right) as well, but she just looked happy today.

“She enjoyed the track, enjoyed the ground and as William has always liked her we were disappointed when she got beat second time.

“There’s a chance she could run again as she doesn’t mind cut and is clearly in good form. Whether we look for black type, I don’t know. You haven’t got much to lose with a filly, but it probably depends on what handicap mark she gets.”

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